Thrust-balancing means for pumps, turbines, or the like



E. F. DELERY. THRUST BALANCING MEANS FOR PUMPS, TURBINES, OR THE LIKE.APPLICATION FI LED DEC. 5. 1919.

1 404 346 Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET lv E. F. DELERY. THRUST BALANCING MEANS FOR PUMPS,TURBINES, OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 5. I9I9. 1,404,346.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922..

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- itn 25585 if INVENTOR. 6 mm 'aa P 6W E. F. DELERY.mnusr BALANCING MEANS FOR PUMPS, TURBINES, on THE LIKIE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.5| I919. 1,404;-,346 Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- o o J O 0 O o O ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE F. DELE RY, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

Application filed December 5, 1919. Serial No. 342,828.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EUGENE F RANK DEL- J JRY,a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parishof Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Thrust-Balancing Means for Pumps, Turbines, or the like,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to power transmitting machines having impellersor runners acting on or acted on by a fluid stream. wherein theimpellers or runners when in operation are subject to difierences ofpressure between the fluid'inlet and fluid outlet sides.

The principal object of the invention is to automatically balance thethrust upon the impeller arising from the differences of pressureexisting in the fluid that moves or is moved by the impeller between theinlet and outlet sides of the impeller.

The invention consists in means whereby a fluid pressure as effective asthat on the higher pressure side or" an impeller, is appliedsimultaneously to the lower pressure side thereof. It also consists inthe several combinations and parts defined in the appended claims,particularly set forth in the ensuing description and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like partsthroughout the several views,

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section of an impeller and impellershaft constructed according to my invention, and a casing, the top orcap of which has been removed;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the impeller;

Fig. 3 is an elevation ofthe central body of the impeller disclosing thebalancing vanes;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of a centrifugal pump comprising my invention,the main vane or bucket ring of the impellerv being in section, and thecap of the casing removed,

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a grooved ring, constituting a part of theimpeller, to which the vanes or buckets are secured;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a vane or bucket and its attaching lugs viewedin the direction of the impeller axis;

Fig. 7 is a View of a vane or bucket with its attaching lugs as it wouldappear viewed from the right of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a plate disposed in the pressure balancingchamber;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the axis ofthe impeller and pressure balancing chambers.

' The invention is shown and described embodied in rotary pumps; but itis to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to turbinemotors and is not to be limited by the particular embodiments hereindisclosed for the purpose of illustrating practical applicationsthereof.

In the drawings the main body of a bearing support, shown as a pumpcasing with the top or cap portion removed, is illustrated at A. Theinlet to said casing is shown at 2'7 and the outlet therefrom at 28. Itwill be understood that a cap member, not shown, flanged similarly tothe main body A, is to be bolted to the flange f of the main body bymeans of bolts passing through bolt holes 26.

Journaled in divided bearings formed partly in the main casing body andpartly in the cap member is an impeller shaft 10, to which is secured animpeller inclosed by the pump casing wherein a suitable chamber isprovided for the body of the impeller and an annular space or chamber11, in which the vanes revolve during the operation of drawing fluidinto the casing and forcibly discharging it therefrom. Surrounding theshaft 10 at each side of the impeller and suitably fitted to the casingare stuffing boxes provided, respectively, with glands 8 and 9 forcompressing the packing rings 18, in order to prevent leakage ofpressure around the shaft.

In the particular embodiment illustrated, the impeller comprises acylindrical body 2, having spiral passages 1 across its periphery, keyedor otherwise securely fastened to the shaft 10 concentric therewith; a

ring 3 having circumferential grooves 22 surrounding the body 2 andrigidly secured to it, and oblique vanes, blades or buckets 14 securedto said circumferentially grooved ring. The body 2 is secured to shaft10 be tween the end walls 5 and 6 of the chamber formed in the main bodyof the casing and asing cap. The said chamber is of greater dimensionmeasured axially of the shaft 10 from wall 5 to opposite wall 6 thereof,than thecylindrical body 2 from face 7 to face 4,

and the said body 2 is secured to shaft 10 so that the two end faces -7and 4 thereof tial grooves 22 of the ring 3.

formed-with or rigidly secured to curved.

lugs 24, said lugs 24 being of a size and curvature to fit snugly in thecircumferen- After the lugs 24 have'been inserted at the correctangularly spaced positions in the said grooves 22, the vanes may berigidly secured in place by bolts 21 passed through registering holesdrilled through the ribs on the ring 3 that separate the grooves 22, andthrough the lugs 24. One end of the bolt 21 may be threaded into acorresponding threaded portion of the hole in one of the outer ribs, for

' example, in the right hand rib as indicated in Figs. 1 and 9 at 23. Onthat end of the ring 3 which is adjacent the low pressure side of theimpeller is a flange 15, which may be an annulus bolted'to the ring 3 ormay be formed integral therewith. The said the impeller in a direction(clockwise in flange 15 overhangs the body 2 and projects into acylindrical cavity formed in the easing so that it may revolve freelytherein but with the perimeter of the flange in snug relation to theinner cylindrical wall of said cavity. From the construction thus farde' scribed it will be apparent that rotation of Figs. 1 and 9) to drawfluid through the inlet 27 and discharge it through the outlet 28, willcause a pressure at 17 on the discharge side of the impeller in excessof the pressure at 16 on the suction or inlet side.

.By this invention a pressure sufficient to counteract the back pressureupon the impeller is applied to the low pressure side against the face 7of the body 2. High pressure fluid'flows from the high pressure side ofthe impeller into the space or chamber 18, and is forced by the vanes orgrooves 1, in "rotating body 2, into the chamber 29 between face7 of thebody 2 and the wall 5 of the casing chamberin whichsaid body rotates.The fluid is forced through the grooves so as to increase the pressureper given area in chamber 29 over that existing in chamber 13, in orderto completely neutralize the back thrust on the impeller.

Instead of having the pressure in chamber 29exerted directly between theface 7 of the body 2 and the wall 50f the casing chamber, it ispreferred to interpose av disk '19 between said face and wall. The saiddisk is sleeved closely over shaft 10, and may have its edge beveled asindicated in Figs. 1 and 8 to engage a correspondingly beveled edge onthe flange 15, or may have a cylindrically flanged edge as illustratedin Figs. 4 and 9 fitting inside of a cylindrical inner periphery offlange 15. Surrounding the shaft 10, outside of disk 19, is a washer 20,which spaces the :disk 19 from the wall 5, thus forming between saiddisk and wall another chamber 12. 'A hole 30 in disk 19 places thechambers 29 and 12 in communication. Thus, pressure in chamber 29 iscommunicated to'chamber 12, the pressure in chamber 12 acting to sealthe stul'hng box on the low pressure side, and neutralize the effect ofsuction that would otherwise be exerted on said stufling box. 7

In assembling the described mechanisms the body 2may be first keyed'toshaft 10; the vanes or blades 14 are united to the ring incorrectangular spacing by inserting the lugs 24 in the grooves 22, andsecuring them in place, as'by means of the bolts 21 in the mannerillustrated in Figs. 1 and 9. Ring 3 carrying the properly spaced vanes14, is then sleeved over the spirally grooved body 2 and secured inplace in any desired manner, (as by keys or set screws not shown). Disk19, spacing washer 20, may then be slipped over the shaft to properposition and the stufling boxes assembled. Shaft 10 carrying thedescribed assembled impeller disk, washer and stuffing boxes may then befitted to the casing body A and the cap or top portion (not shown)bolted to it by means of bolts passed through holes such as 26 in theflanges.

' In operation fluid enters the casing through the inlet 27, passesthrough the vestibular space 16, enters the annular vane chamber 11 andis discharged from theimpcller at 17 whence it passes through thedischarge pipe 28 at a pressure higher than that, which exists at 16.Some of thefluid under. high pressure,-substantially equal to that at17, -fills the chamber 13 and is caught by the vanes or grooves 1 in thebody 2 located between the body and the inner surface of ring 3, andforced into the chamber 29' at a pressure per square inch somewhatgreater than that which exists in chamber 13, the pressure in chamber2913cacting against the face 7 of the body'2and tending to force theimpeller or runner against the pressure existing at 17 and in chamber13. Some fluid in chamber 29 en-' ters the chamber 12 by way of theaperture- 30 in disk 19, and fills the chamber 12 with fluid underpressure equal to that in chamher 29, the fluid, being confined andsubstantially quiescent, sealing the stuffing box on the low pressureside by acting on the packing. In the manufacture of the impeller thegrooves l in body 2 are given such a pitch with respect to the pitch ofthe blades 14 that-the pressure on the discharge side of the impeller,which may be taken as P (pressure per given unit ofarea) multiplied bythe area of a circle described by the outer edges of the vanes let minusthe cross sectional area of shaft 10, equals the pressure P in chamber29.multiplied by the area of the face 7 of body 2 less the crosssectional area of the shaft 10. This will give a balance having aconstant ratio which will be proportional for all pressures.

In F 4 the improvement is'shown ap plied to a centrifugal pump. Thecasing A is modified accordingly and also the form of the vanes 14 andring 3. These modified parts are typical of such pumps and are notconcerned with the present invention, the

body. 2 with grooves 1 and pressure cham bers 13 and 29, and otheressential features of this invention are the same as illustrated in theother views.

Having described my invention in such manner as to enable those skilledin the art to which it appertains'to make and use the same, what I'claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1; In mechanisms of the class described, an impeller, and means operatedby the impeller to force fluid against the low pressure side of theimpeller under suflicientpressure to counterbalance the back pressure onthe high pressure side.

2. In mechanisms of the class described,

an impeller, and means operated by the impeller to force fluid from thehigh pressure side against the low pressure side of the impeller undersuflicient pressure to counterbalance the back pressure on the highpressure side regardless of the variations of said back pressure.

3. In mechanisms of the class described,- an impeller, a bearing supporttherefor, there being a pressure chamber between the bearing support andimpeller on the low pressure side of the latter, and means renderedeffective by the rotation of the impeller for forcing fluid into saidpressure chamber so as to counterbalance the back pressure exerted onthe high pressure side of the impeller.

4. In mechanisms of the class described, an impeller comprising a bodyhaving opposite pressure faces and impeller vanes supported on theperiphery of said body; an impeller casing having fluid inlet and outletpassages, there being a chamber between the casing and impeller body onthe high pressure side of the impeller in communication with theadjacent fluid passage, and a closed pressure chamber between saidcasing and said body on the low pressure side of the impeller; and meansforconducting fluid under pressure from the chamber on the high pressureside of the impeller into the closed pressure chamber in the lowpressure side thereof.

In mechanisms of the class described, an impeller comprising a bodyhaving opposite pressure faces and impeller vanes supported on theperiphery of said body; an im peller casing having fluid inlet andoutlet passages, there being a chamber between the casing and impellerbody on the high pressure side of the impeller in communication with theadjacent fluid passage, and a closed pressure chamber between saidcasing and said body on the low pressure side of the impeller; and meansactuated by the impeller for pumping fluid from the chamber on the highpressure side into the closed pressure chamber on the low pressure side.

6. In mechanisms of the class described, an impeller comprising a bodyhaving opposite pressure faces and impeller vanes supported on theperiphery of said body; an impeller casing having fluid inlet and outletpassages, there being a chamber between the casing and impeller body onthe high pressure side of the impeller in communication with theadjacent fluid passage, and a closed pressure chamber between saidcasing and said body on the low pressure side of the impeller; and pumpvanes on said body adapted to force fluid in a direction opposite thatof the fluid flowing through said impeller vanes, said pump vanes beingso disposed as to force fluid from the chamber on the high pressure sideinto the closed pressure chamber on the low pressure side.

7. In mechanisms of the class described, an impeller comprising a bodyhaving opposite pressure faces and impeller vanes supported on theperiphery of said body; an impeller casing having fluid inlet and outletpassages, there being a chamber between the casing and impeller body onthe high pressure side of the impeller in communication with theadjacent fluid passage, and a closed pressure chamber between saidcasing and said body on the low pressure side of the impeller; passagesthrough said body disposed at an inclination adapted to force fluid in adirection the reverse of that passing between said impeller vanes, saidpassages establishing communication between said chamber on the highpressure and low pressure sides of the impeller.

8. In mechanisms of the class described, an impeller comprising a bodyhaving opposite pressure faces and oblique grooves crossing itsperiphery, a ring encircling said body, impeller vanes on said ring,said vanes and grooves being so disposed as to cause fluid to flow inopposite directions through said passages and vanes reqiectively; animpeller casing having fluid inlet and outlet passages, there being achamber between the casing and impeller body on the high presthatexisting on the high sure side of the impeller in communication with theadjacent fluid passage, and a closed pressure chamber between saidcasing and said body on the low pressure side of the impeller; saidgrooves on the periphery of theibody between said body'and ringestablishing. communication between said chamber-on the high pressureand low pressure sides of the impeller. 1

9. In mechanisms of the class described, an impeller comprising a bodyhaving a pressure face on the low pressure side of the impeller, animpeller casing in which the impeller is mounted to rotate, said casinghaving a cavity with a wall concentric with the axis of the impeller, anannular flange on the impeller having its outer surface close to thesaid-curved wall of the casing cavity so as to form a fluid tightchamber, and

sure chamber. on said low pressure sidebetween the pressure face of theimpeller and the casiri'g'through which said shaft extends, and meansfor forein'g fiuid' under pressure 'into said closed pressure chamber.

11. In mechanisms of the class described, an impeller comprising a bodyhaving a pressure faceon the low pressure side of theimpeller, a shaftto which the'impeller is secured, an impeller casing in which said shaftis journaled, packing between said shaft and easing on the low pressureside of the impeller, said casing having a cavity with a cylindricalwall concentric with the axis of said'shaft, an annular flange on saidimpeller body having its outer surface close to the said cylindricalwallbf the casing cavity, a disk sleeved on said shaft, spaced from saidpressure face and the inner face 'ofsaid cavity in the casing, theperimeter of said disk being in engagement with said flange, there beinga restricted'passage'for fluid from one side of said disk to'the other,and means for forcing fluid under pressure into saidcavityi i i Intestimony whereof I hereby affix my signature in the presence oftwo'witnesses.

EUGENE r. DELERY. V

Witnesses:

HAROLD P. CRANE, MARK ARNUEDo. V

